Mossmorran could still face prosecution over unscheduled flaring

A Fife MSP has warned operators of Mossmorran they could still face prosecution over unscheduled flaring at the plant.
MossmorranMossmorran
Mossmorran

Mark Ruskell’s comments come ahead of a meeting he has with operators, ExxonMobil, and environmental agency, SEPA, on Friday.

The politician has already called for an independent inquiry into unscheduled flaring which has sparked a huge backlash among local communities in recent years,

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

SEPA recently released the letters it sent to ExxonMobil issuing a final warning over unscheduled flaring last summer, but it still has at least two further incidents to investigate – three if the most recent one sparks further inquiries.

Mr Ruskell said, “I’ve been asking for some time now for these final warning letters to be published, and the information is very revealing.

“It clearly states we could soon be seeing legal action taken against the plant operators, and this could include holding them to account over last summer’s flaring, as well as the multiple incidents that have happened since then.

Mossmorran Action Group has been compiling examples of the social impacts of flaring in communities around the plant, and the results, said Mr Ruskell, “are consistently unacceptable.’’

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He added: “I’ve recently had a productive meeting with the Public Health minister too to urge the Scottish Government to investigate flaring as a public health issue.

“But all this action is meaningless if we don’t also see basic legal enforcement of our environmental and industrial laws.’’

At his meeting this week he said he would be“making it clear investigations into unscheduled flaring “need to be concluded urgently.’’

He added: “Nothing less than legal action is acceptable now.”